American Signals of Further Nigerian Strikes as Abuja Speaks of 'Joint Ongoing Missions'.
The American defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has warned of new airstrikes against IS positions in northwest Nigeria. This follows a short time after U.S. military forces launched strikes against militant camps. The former president Donald Trump has described these efforts as part of a mission to halt the killing of Christians.
“The president was explicit previously: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria needs to cease,” Hegseth wrote on a social platform. “The Pentagon is constantly prepared, so ISIS discovered tonight – on Christmas. There is more ahead … Grateful for Abuja's backing and collaboration. Merry Christmas!”
Nigeria's Top Diplomat Frames Actions as Collaborative Effort
Nigeria’s top diplomat, Yusuf Tuggar, stated on Friday that the American military actions were “part of joint continuing operations.” This statement came after Trump had earlier accused Nigeria’s government of not doing enough to prevent Christians from being killed.
Nigeria is officially a secular state with a population almost evenly split between Muslims and Christians. Attacks against Christians has drawn attention from conservative groups in the United States, who frame it as sectarian targeting. The government in Abuja have noted that militants target both Christians and Muslims.
Information and Coordination Behind the Missions
Nigeria provided the information for the airstrikes in Sokoto state, Tuggar informed a local broadcaster. He detailed that he had consulted with his U.S. counterpart, then called the Nigerian president for approval, and then spoke with the American official again.
“We have been collaborating extensively with the Americans,” Tuggar said. “This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to partner with the Americans, to work with other countries, to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians … It’s a joint effort.”
The U.S. military’s Africom confirmed the operations in Sokoto state had been carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Background of Conflict in North-West Nigeria
Forests in Sokoto state, which borders Niger, have been used as hideouts by criminal groups and members of Islamic State – Sahel Province. Some observers say this IS branch originated when herders joined together to fight bandits due to a lack of state support. The region is predominantly Muslim.
Conflicts between pastoralists and predominantly Christian farming communities have been aggravated by ethnicity and religion, but their roots lie in competition for land and water.
- Priests and religious leaders have been increasingly taken hostage, though some specialists say this may be driven more by financial motives than sectarian hatred.
- A December 24th suicide bombing at a mosque in north-east Nigeria took the lives of at least five people and wounded dozens more, in a separate insurgency mostly separate to the violence in the north-west.
Continuing Unrest and Statistics
There have been thousands of incidents of violence in Nigeria this year, with about 50% of them targeting civilians, according to research data. States like Katsina and Sokoto have been among the most affected regions.
Tuggar stressed that the mission was about “protecting Nigerians and innocent lives,” not a single faith. “It is a collaborative mission,” he said. “It is not targeting any religion.”
Wider American Military Posture
This intervention occurs amid a wider pattern of American engagement overseas during this administration. Despite running as a “champion of peace” who promised to extricate the U.S. from “foreign quagmires,” the first year of this presidency has seen strikes in several countries and a major military buildup in another region.
No official from the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities have revealed if there were any fatalities in the latest airstrikes. When questioned if additional actions would follow, Tuggar responded: “You can call it a fresh chapter of an long-standing struggle. For us it is something that is ongoing.”
